Anquan Boldin does some lobbying in D.C.

Because 49ers OTAs were going on at the same time, wide receiver Anquan Boldin skipped the visit to the White House his former Ravens teammates took to celebrate their Super Bowl title.

OTAs are over now and Boldin spent Monday in the nation’s capital, but not for a ceremony in the Rose Garden. Boldin spent the day talking to members of the Obama administration, elected officials and staffers about human rights abuses in Africa. Boldin, who has visited the continent in each of the last two years, was in D.C. on behalf of Oxfam America and shed light on the lives of farmers who have been pushed aside by mining companies ahead of President Obama’s visit to Africa next week.

“You have these people who literally live on top of gold mines … and they see no benefits from it,” Boldin said, via RollCall.com. “People definitely get it. But I think it’s an issue that definitely needs to continue to be pushed.”

Boldin also said he plans to continue making visits to Africa and hopes to bring other NFL players with him to further publicize the issues he discussed on Monday. It’s not the usual offseason fare for professional football players, but it’s an impressive way to put one’s fame to use for helping others.

17 responses to “Anquan Boldin does some lobbying in D.C.”

Props to Boldin for spending his time productively and trying to use his stature to advance a worthy cause. It’s great he’s trying to make the world a better place for everyone, and is spending his time trying to help people much less fortunate than we are here in the US.

Hopefully he’s able to get some traction on this and get people in the administration to pay attention and actually do something about it.

I remember when people “living on top of gold mines” in South Africa finally had their day and now what was once practically a World Power is basically one of the most corrupt, dangerous Third World countries in the World to live. You have to be careful what you wish for.

We send them billions and it doesn’t go to the people who need it. Down the toilet. And the people who need it would spend it on drugs. The governments are run by third world druggies and alcoholics who couldn’t run a McDonalds here. AIDS is their main problem, and G W Bush is doing more for that than Obama or anyone else. Not that he can do anything, either. You can’t help people who won’t help themselves. Africa is a lost cause and a burden on the rest of planet earth.

Not that I want to sound like I dont care about the abuses of people in other countries, but I have had it up to my eye balls with all of these fu*king “causes”. We have plenty of people in America that are suffering for various reasons. Why dont we help out our own people first? The “bleeding hearts” in this country wont be satisfied until every person outside of America is better off at the expense, literally and figuratively of America.

If the choice was, save the people in Africa, and the Middle East, or North Korea, etc, OR save the people suffering in America, sorry but I am choosing my fellow Americans!

Kudos to Boldin and Fitzgerald for their humanitarian work world wide. More and more NFL players have expanded their horizons and are now following their lead which is good for everybody…good for them on a personal level, good for the receiver of their good works, and especially good for the NFL’s image. The good and positive efforts by these players helps to offset the image created in the media of a bunch of spoiled pseudo gangstas. Good job guys; perhaps there’s life after football in our nation’s capitol!

Yeah, lots of ignorance here. If people think they are suffering in the USA, you’d probably last a week in parts of Africa.

Lets just forget that foreign aid is 1% of the budget. I guess 20 billion to build border fences is more of a priority even though people coming and going is a net zero in illegals crossing the border.

Anyways, China is investing big-time in Africa. How to plant crops and be more industrial. Africa will be to China what China is to us. Cheap labor.

abninf says:
Jun 25, 2013 9:38 AM
We send them billions and it doesn’t go to the people who need it. Down the toilet. And the people who need it would spend it on drugs. The governments are run by third world druggies and alcoholics who couldn’t run a McDonalds here. AIDS is their main problem, and G W Bush is doing more for that than Obama or anyone else. Not that he can do anything, either. You can’t help people who won’t help themselves. Africa is a lost cause and a burden on the rest of planet earth

Misinformation and igonrant comments would get you this far. Now, let me educate you about the continent. Does it have its issues sure, many developing countries do, now each country is different some are improving and others are regressing . A lot of countries on the continent are considered emerging markets, lost cause i dont think so.Broaden your horizons a wee bit more and then you can make significant contributions to something you know so little of.